More work approved for Branch County Children's Museum as it hopes for record attendance

COLDWATER — The Children's Museum of Branch County will spend nearly $10,000 to reduce noise in its building at 58-60 West Chicago, according to museum executive director Shana Grife.

The landlord, the Downtown Development Authority board, approved the project after it spent $22,580 improving the exterior of the three-story brick building.

DDA/Main Street Director Audrey Tappenden said the work to waterproof the building included repairing the top cap, tearing down and capping the chimney, lintel caulking, flashing, and brick tuckpointing.

The DDA and city appropriated $25,000 for the work. Repairs to the awning are pending.

Tappenden said the building has water intrusion, and the contractors, "Might have recommendations of additional maintenance items to consider after they've gotten up on the roof and looked at that more closely."

Grife said the work cut down summer traffic and admissions, but she hoped to hit a record 18,000 visitors for the year, topping 14,000 for 2023.

Numbers have been down over the last months because of outside work.

Grife said winter draws more visitors. "Last December was a phenomenal month for us," she said.

The director feels the museum for a not-for-profit is, "doing okay money-wise."

She said the museum could use more volunteers. "We do have three part-time employees and a few solid volunteers. Our payroll expenses take up a fair amount of our revenue."

Grife said not everyone can work at the museum with the kids. "There's a lot of screaming. It's good screaming."

The noise resulted in plans to reduce it. The multipurpose room has the original tin ceiling along with laminate flooring, countertops, tables and chairs, clean walls, and a new A/C unit directly overhead.

A drop ceiling provides sound absorption for the area routinely used for birthday parties, classes, and educational workshops for dozens of children at a time. This requires extending fire sprinklers through the new ceiling.

Grife said the museum receives 38% of its income from the museum store. "Tell everyone you know, if you need to buy a gift or a toy or a special something for someone, we continue to expand that area just because we feel it's important to have it downtown."

The store sells books and educational materials as well.

Grife said, "The profit we make from the retail will go back, goes back into the museum and helps cover our costs."

Admission is $5 for a family and $3 with a Bridge Card. A $100 full-year family pass is also available.

The hours are Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and Wednesdays and Thursdays are from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.

The city and DDA rent the building for $1,300 per month until next May, then $1,600 a month on a five-year, month-to-month lease, to be renegotiated after April 2028.

DDA borrowed $350,000 from the city to renovate the museum's 7,000-square-foot first floor and bring the historic building up to code.

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That brought the Children's Museum back downtown, where it started in 2014.

The Museum returned from the Fairfield Center on N. Marshall Street in April 2023.

Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: More work approved for Branch County Children's Museum as it hopes for record attendance